There would be Blood
by The Self-Inking Quill
Summary: “You must always remember, Draco, that your first duty is not to the living, but the dead. They have lived their very lives for your existence.” This is a post HBP one shot.


**There would be Blood**

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the canon Harry Potter characters present in this work.

If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.  
- George Bernard Shaw

Weasley had never quite understood family loyalty; neither had Granger. That was why he had difficulty respecting them, far more than any accidents of blood and birth. As a Malfoy, however, Draco understood loyalty to one's family intimately. Loyalty was an early lesson.

"You must always remember, Draco, that your first duty is not to the living, but the dead. They have lived their very lives for your existence."

Family was not merely brothers, sisters, or even parents. The family was the sum total of all one ever had been or could hope to achieve. One's greatest ambition was to serve the family, as they had once served the same harsh taskmaster. Only trial through adversity could display the purity of devotion to that inescapable ideal.

Weasley and Granger fancy talking about making a choice: choosing the right path. Potter is usually quiet then; even corrupted by the influence of mudbloods and blood traitors, Potter understands duty to those long passed. That is his reason for confronting The Dark Lord after all. Anyone who knows Potter well sees that duty to his parents was always ruler. Potter's knowledge is also, however, the heart of his misunderstanding; duty is not born from sacrifice.

"It is integral, Draco, to comprehend the distinction between sacrifice and service. The former is an escape: a coward's choice. Only in the latter is purity maintained. One day, Draco, you will discover that to die requires far less will than to kill."

In this regard, none of Dumbledore's golden Gryffindors have the slightest notion of the bonds tied with loyalty. They believe that dying for a cause is a potent choice, wrought from deepest devotion. They mock those unwilling to play the martyr. They fail to see the potency of the family.

Albus Dumbledore, long touted the finest wizard of the modern age, died for The Malfoy Family. The Dark Lord set his price and prize. If the headmaster had not died, the family would take his place, while, at his death, the family would regain glories of old. There was no choice in such alternatives: merely duty. Albus Dumbledore died, as he must. The family's path was clear, and the family's agent necessarily accomplished his task.

Once more, however, his father had proved the wiser. To kill was not so simple. In doing so, he surrendered all that made him human. He had not served adequately; without the assistance of Severus Snape, the family may well have flickered out. His intent was impure.

"Failure is an impurity which taints forever. However, our service may not be immaculate. We are not the family, Draco. When impurity seeps in, you must seek a fire in which to immolate your defects: one which may forge you anew."

In his father's footsteps, Draco found his fire.

"Stare into my eyes young Malfoy. Show me the purity of your devotion: your service."

The Dark Lord, a half-blood, even if born of an ancient potency, never understood family loyalty. He sought to command Draco, never comprehending that he was little more than a tool. The dead held his allegiance. The Dark Lord did not understand, but he burned.

"Crucio."

"Crucio."

"Crucio."

In pain lay a pure service to the family. He did not die, as the blood traitors might. Draco Malfoy lived to renew his service in pain, drowning impurities in the waves.

"Crucio."

Many years before his birth, the family had chosen to use The Dark Lord. Tom Riddle was foolish and powerful: strong enough to strangle impure blood in its infancy. In the end, he would have to end himself, or be ended, but, for the moment, The Dark Lord was still a valuable tool. The family could use Lord Voldemort.

First, Harry Potter had to die, and Lucius Malfoy must walk free. The Malfoy Family should not assent to such indignity. The family demanded honour and obeisance. The mudbloods must choke on their bastard offspring: the darkest wizard of an age.

"Crucio."

His hands were painted red. There would be blood.

"Crucio."

"Avada Kedavra."

That seventh time, Draco Malfoy spoke the words.

There would be blood.

There would be blood.


End file.
